Tonight the Vikings will face Montana State in their first, and what could be their last, match-up in the 2002 Big Sky Conference Championships.
The Portland State players are determined to win the game and have been able to put most of their anxiety behind them.
“They were nervous and anxious about qualifying,” head coach Jeff Mozzochi said. “Just getting to the tournament may not seem like a big deal to some people, but there was a lot of pressure on the players who have been here awhile, especially the seniors, to get there. They made history.”
This season marks the first trip to the tournament in the history of Viking volleyball. A conference record of 4-10 allowed PSU to take the sixth and final seed in the championships. Top-ranked Eastern Washington, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona and Weber State also hold spots in the tournament.
Tonight’s game may prove to be a challenge for the Vikings, who lost two earlier season matches, including their Big Sky season-opener in September, to the Bobcats.
Senior Katie Kost, Richell Wilson and Kathy Garbacz led the Vikings offensively in those previous games, and solid play from them tonight could be pivotal in a PSU victory. Stephanie Lavigne also plays an important role in the offense, routinely posting impressive assist totals. Kristin Ratzlaff, Kristina Thom and Lisa Thomas have proved themselves to be key defensive players.
Bobcat Aimee Halyk, who had 20 kills in the last match against PSU, could once again be one to watch. German transfer Ana Schanze had 17 kills in that game and routinely leads her team offensively. The Vikings will be keeping an eye on both.
Mozzochi is confident that his players have what it takes to make their mark in the tournament. A huge upset win over Northern Arizona last week proved that the Vikings have the potential to take down tough teams.
“They knew what was on the line in that game,” Mozzochi explained. “We didn’t want to get into this tournament just because Idaho State happened to lose – by sneaking in the back door so to speak. That win was a big step forward for these players.”
If the Vikings are able to pull out a win tonight, they will face tournament host Eastern Washington on Friday.